Mother and Son
by ChaosxPaladin
Summary: AU. Power. That is all she desired. Manipulated and experimented on, Sheffield's son, Allen, lived his life hating her. Hoping to seek a new life upon being summoned as the familiar of Louise, Allen stands strong against his mother, hoping to sever the chain with her death. But he isn't strong enough; so with power in mind, he seeks the only being capable of ending her.
1. Chapter 1

Through fire and flood

This is just an idea that came to me the other day, after reading The Hill of Swords again by Gabriel Blessing, and the pseudo sequel The Prince of Swords by another author named v03-R.N. As such, this fanfic is centralized around Sheffield, and the possibility of her having a son.

I find Sheffield to be a very interesting character. Her history details that she's the daughter of a priest from the other side of the Sahara Desert, with the land having technology beyond what the Halkeginians have. She's an incredibly powerful character by ZnT standards, her magic is insane and if it weren't for her loyalty to Joseph I think that the author could have done a lot more. As such, I have taken it upon myself to try and fiddle around more with her character, and this is what I came up with. R&R!

*Story Start*

 **Gandalf POV, Alternate Reality**

"We did it." I whispered to my master. We did good work tonight. Looking over the plains beyond the forest we hid in, I watched as the army of Reconquista retreated, successfully held back by my master, Louise, and myself. Louise currently laid her head on my lap, her heavy breaths breaking her words as she gave me a heavy smile. Originally she had been ordered to hold the enemy line on her own, but I encouraged her that we do the task together, as master and familiar. Bodies of countless soldiers, ogres, orcs and dragons littered the plains. Louise and I played our hand tactically, with myself handling the main forces from the inside, aiming for the arms and legs of the mages and soldiers, while Louise collected her magic to cast her signature void spell, explosion, to finish off those who attacked me from behind as I retreated to rest. It was a long game of keep away, with Louise and myself switching every so often to recuperate. The night was nearly over, and dawn was at hand.

"We... Sure... Did," she panted.

"I said it before, and I'll say it again partner. You are an uncanny fighter. Never have I seen someone with as much guts as you," said my sword, Derflinger, his hand-guard mouthpiece clanking in the silent wilderness. He was planted blade first into the ground, acting as a back rest for myself, my second short sword on the floor beside me. We chuckled, silence falling once more. I looked up as the last air ship passed over us.

Pushing herself up, Louise tried to stand to her feet, only for me to catch her as she fell. She gave me an embarrassed glare, but said nothing otherwise.

"You're welcome," I replied, the sarcasm heavy in my voice. Settling her on her feet, Louise muttered a soft 'thank you'. I smiled.

"Come on. Let's go home. Tabitha would kill me if something happened to you," said Louise. I chuckled, wondering to see how angry Tabitha would get when they returned. She's probably furious right now, not happy that I tricked her into drinking wine enhanced with a sleeping agent.

"You have done well, Gandalf."

Whirling around, I immediately pulled my blades from the ground, standing protectively in front of Louise. The Gandalf runes engraved into my left hand began to shine, my stamina and strength returning to me. From the shadows, dolls emerged. The dolls were small, going no higher than four feet. They wore red, pointed hats, red leather vests, red boots, and had three fingers. The body was a blank, faceless manikin, armed with tiny swords and shields. Alviss. Which could only mean one thing.

"Sheffield." I snarled. An echoing chuckle followed, the sound coming from seemingly everywhere. But I knew her. This was just another one of her tricks.

"Now, now, my dear Allen, is that any way to greet your mother? The Gandalf's power may give you the ability to wield any weapons you hold, but surely you do not believe you can defeat me in your current state? Aren't you tired after fighting all the big bad villains? Don't you want to see your little master safe, and sleep in the arms of our little watchdog?" I could feel the smug coming off her, but her words stopped my retort. Watchdog?

"…Charlotte?" I whispered as Sheffield emerged from the shadows, another figure walking beside her. I knew her as Tabitha for a time, before she shared her heart and her real name with me. Gone was her school uniform, consisting of formal black shoes, a black skirt, and a white buttoned up shirt with a black mantle. Now she wore dark grey hood, dark leather armour with black pants and boots. Her wooden shepherd's crook staff was gone as well, replaced with a metal staff as tall as her, a round wind stone firmly attached to the head.

Sylphid, Tabitha's dragon familiar, was nowhere to be found. The Moyznitnirn familiar runes engraved into Sheffield's forehead shone with a foreboding light, the magic coming from her flowing into her Alviss, giving her full knowledge and control over them, as well as all the magical artifacts in her possession. She smiled.

"Indeed. Our good little watchdog has finally returned to her rightful master. You could learn a thing or two from her, child of mine," Sheffield cooed, stepping behind Tabitha and stroking her hair gently. Tabitha's expression remained blank, but her eyes were enough. I could see the desperation in her eyes. She wanted me to run. And she knew that I wouldn't. Tabitha's gaze cast downward.

"Tabitha!" Louise shouted, lifting up her wand. I put my hand in front of her. No. Sheffield was mine.

"I'm going to kill you for what you've done, and this time I won't hesitate." My eyes locked on Tabitha's, her crystalline eyes shining with tears she desperately held back. "I'm going to save you!"

Sheffield cooed at the sight.

"Aww, love is it? Such a beautiful romance. She truly does love you, and even defied me to prove it but I'm sure you know that. All I wanted was for her to do a little task for me; to kill you, by order of her uncle, the king of Galia. But in the end, I had to discipline my master's pet." She began chuckling again, grabbing Tabitha's face with a vice grip, forcing her to look at me.

"K-king of Galia...? Tabitha, you're a princess?" Louise whispered at the revelation. I gave her a grieving look as she turned her shock towards me. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Oops, my apologies. Did I spoil that for you? No matter. You would have found out eventually. This little girl here is our assassin. She was supposed to infiltrate your country Tristain and bring back intelligence, but the heroic Gandalf stole the lonely girl's heart instead. How romantic! They should make a play." Sheffield sighed, acting faint. Louise frowned, not noticing the exchange of glares between Sheffield and I. This woman really got on my nerves. Sheffield pulled Tabitha closer.

"Louise, take care of the Alviss. Sheffield is mine."

"Tut, tut, dear Allen. Do you really think your little master will be able to fend off my Alviss long enough for you to save dear Charlotte? Or are you going to sacrifice your master for the sake of your darling? You've been sacrificing a lot of lives lately. What's your body count become now, by the way, with all the soldiers and mages you put down tonight?" My grip on Derflinger tightened again, the shame in my heart stopping my blade from slicing her open.

"Partner, you only did what you needed to do. That professor Colbert understood that. That maid Siesta understood that." His voice fell into a serious whisper, for the first time since I found him. "What would your best friend Guiche say?"

The thick silence stretched on, the strain in the air almost palpable. The wind blew as Sheffield and I exchanged glares. Tabitha stood at the ready, and Louise warily looked between Tabitha and myself.

Then, the silence snapped.

Louise lifted her wand, attempting to cast an explosion. Tabitha however, was faster, and in turn shot icicles at us. Destroying them with Derflinger, Sheffield sent the Alviss forward.

"Kill him dear watchdog." She announced. Spinning wildly, I cleared the entire area in front of me, channeling the magic within Derflinger and my short sword. The magic within me hummed with my blades as they absorbed the magic inside the Alviss, taking away their energy, rendering them inert. Unleashing the absorbed energy, I lengthened the reach of my swords triple fold.

"Partner, be careful! Louise can't handle this many!" shouted Derflinger. The remaining soldiers split into three groups, took a formation and charged at Louise. We were forcefully separated, and Louise backed away, moving and casting, just like we practiced. But before I could move to help her, Charlotte intercepted me, her staff swinging at my head. I ducked on instinct. We had a standoff.

"Why Charlotte?" I asked, my eyes following Louise behind her. She said nothing.

Tabitha raised her staff soundlessly, firing icicles in my direction. Reacting quickly I dodged, but did not pursue her. I circled around her attacks, attempting to reach Louise. When it became clear I was not fighting back, she took the offensive and attacked me with her staff, matching my speed with her wind magic.

"Mother," she whispered as we exchanged blows. It suddenly became clear. Sheffield must have taken Tabitha's mother, and blackmailed her into servitude. I felt a wave of relief that Tabitha wasn't doing this willingly, but the problem still remained. Gritting my teeth, I tried to keep my eye on Louise as she fought the Alviss, manoeuvring across the forest and climbing trees in order to get away. With a furious assault, Tabitha attacked me with both ends of her staff, expertly twirling it in her hands. I parried her strikes with my swords, diverting her lethal strikes.

"But why? We can save her together!" I replied, parrying another series of blows. I retaliated with my own attacks, using an alternating combination of swings, flowing from one form to another. The look in Tabitha's eyes wavered, her eyes flickering downward as she retreated. We locked our weapons together, struggling to push each other off balance, but soon backed off and entered another standoff.

Had I been so focused on saving Louise, I would not have seen what it meant.

She placed her hand on her stomach. My eyes widened.

"Tabitha... you're...?"

Holding back her tears, Tabitha took advantage of my momentary shock, rushing forward and pushing me off balance. She tackled me to the ground, attempting to pin me down. I quickly twisted my body as I fell, kicking my feet out and preventing Tabitha from mounting me. I flipped back to my feet. My eyes met hers, and it became clear. Her resolve was sure. It was either kill me, and perhaps save our child and her mother, or fail and lose everything.

Why?

Even after all I've done, after all I've given up for more power…

Why am I still so weak, that I can't even fulfill my vow to the one I love?!

Suddenly she was on the move, attacking with astonishing speed behind a furious diversity of well-timed strikes. Derflinger screamed for me to focus, and I managed to barely keep up, my mind trying to settle on what needed to be done. What I wanted to be done.

Enough. This was enough.

Tabitha swung her staff, clashing with Derflinger. I let him go, and her eyes widened as I made no move to retaliate. I smiled as Tabitha came forward, forming a dagger of ice in her hands. I tossed my short sword aside, the realization set in, and her tears finally fell.

"I love you Charlotte."

Closing her eyes, she thrust her knife forward, plunging it into my heart.

-Mother and Son-

 **Third Person POV**

Charlotte softly whimpered as she choked, her breathing painful and heavy as Allen fell backwards, his body collapsing onto the floor. She stared at his body, his lifeless eyes open slightly, the light of the sun shining on his face as she fell on her knees, her shoulders sagging in defeat. Tabitha cursed herself internally, blaming everything on her weakness. Her indecision. She did not deserve the love that he had given her. He always thought himself a monster; pursuing power by any means necessary. But in the end, he was more human than she.

She wept.

The Alviss in the forest froze, and Louise turned to see if he was alright.

"No... No! Tabitha, why?!" She cried out, disbelief telling her this wasn't real. She rushed forward, kicking her way past the Alviss dolls that stood silently, their movement ceased. As Louise ran, tears streamed down her face, the cruel truth hitting her heart like a hammer. She tripped onto her knees as she reached his side, Tabitha weeping loudly beside her.

"You can't be dead... You just can't." Whispered Louise, but fate was against her. As if to answer her silenced doubts, the Gandalf runes, the ancient markings on his left hand, and proof of his status as her familiar, faded away. Louise let out an anguished cry. From the shadows, Sheffield felt disappointment as she watched her son die. So that was his decision? She couldn't help but sigh in annoyance. All that work wasted.

" _No matter. His brother will have to suffice. The girl has done her part… I'll leave her for now."_

With a flourish of her cloak, she melted into the shadows, leaving the girls to mourn. The Alviss surrounding them backed away, disappearing with their master.

Louise's fists clenched tightly, and with a loud, angered roar, she punched Tabitha across the face. Tabitha did nothing to stop it, her body crashing into the ground.

"WHY?! Why did he have to die?! Why did you have to kill him?! What could that damned woman possibly offer to you, that you would actually be able to go out and kill the one that you love?! The one who helped you accept who you are, the one who made you smile like no one ever could?!" Louise's emotions burst forth, and she began to hit Tabitha over and over, her punches becoming weaker each time. Tabitha took her onslaught, still crying. As Louise's anger slowed, leaving only the pain, she became silent. Tabitha, getting back up onto her knees, sat beside Louise as they stared at his lifeless body.

"Sheffield has my mother. And… I'm pregnant. With his child." Tabitha said. Louise's eyes widened with shock.

"Y-y-y-you—what?!" Louise shrieked. Tabitha nodded, repeating what she said. Dumbfounded, Louise couldn't help but begin laughing.

"I see. It all makes sense now." Her eyes lost in memories, Louise took the hand of her former familiar, feeling the callousness of his fingers. "He was always so stupid, recklessly putting his life on the line, wanting 'more power', but when he met you everything changed. He always spoke about what you and he were doing, to the point where I started to get really jealous." Louise smiled at Tabitha, despite her grief.

"He deserves a proper burial."

They brought his remains back to Tristain, Louise reporting what had happened to Princess Henrietta. Tabitha turned herself over to Henrietta, atoning for her sin by giving everything that she knew about Galia; all the dirty secrets and all the inner workings of the government.

When the day of his burial finally came, only a select few attended. Henrietta, Louise and her family, Tabitha, Kirche, and Osmond grieved as he was laid to rest beside Colbert, Siesta and Guiche. Louise felt a swirl of emotions within her, wanting to cry and scream and yet all she could do was stare blankly. What was she, without her familiar? The one who had mentored her into mastery over her magic? Who would she summon, if she were to call another? Would she be able to?

Inside Louise felt empty; truly, unbearably empty, just like her element.

Silently crying, Louise watched as her familiar's coffin was sealed, his remains lowered into the ground.

"Rest in peace…"

-Mother and Son-

 **Unknown**

 _It seems you have gotten yourself in quite a mess yet again._

I opened my eyes, finding myself no longer in the forest lying on the floor, but instead standing, surrounded by a thick fog. My eyes searched my surroundings, but it was an instinctive reaction... I already knew where I was anyway.

"Damn it."

A four pairs of eyes emerged from within the fog, surrounding me on all sides. One pair was blue, another yellow, another red, and the last green.

 _"Such a tiny pup… still wet behind the ears,"_ said the same voice, coming from the red eyes. The deep, masculine voice let out a sigh. _Why didn't you use my power? You could have saved yourself._

 _"Can you blame him, Ifrit? I sympathize with his plight; his mother is a dangerous adversary, to use methods even we didn't predict,"_ said the blue eyes, her soft, feminine voice soothing. The yellow eyes answered next.

 _"But even then, logically with our combined power he could have defeated her and saved the girl."_

 _"I agree with Gnome, Undine,"_ agreed Ifrit. The green pair of eyes, silently observing, finally answered.

 _"The path you walk… You walk it alone. That is what we said to you. You did this for her sake."_

Realizing I was holding my breath, I let it all out. "Yes, Sylph," I replied. The elemental spirits of Halkeginia fell silent. "This is something that I've been considering for a long time now."

 _"But now you are without the power of the Gandalf. Another will take your place; such is the law of the void,"_ answered Undine. I nodded.

 _Is being a mercenary a job worth wandering these lands, polluted with the selfish expanding territories of men? And what of the human wretches you've protected? What of the woman you gave your heart to? What does she do instead of expressing her gratitude?"_ Ifrit retorted, but I snarled back at him.

"Leave her out of this." I fell into a whisper. "She made her choice, and we made ours."

We all remained silent, before Sylph took charge.

 _"Are you truly willing to do this, Allen? Wherever we send you, you will lose our powers. You will have to find us again."_ I shook my head.

"I can't stop now, I've come too far. Send me forth; to a world where the Ancient Dragon still exists. I will take its power for myself, and destroy Sheffield."

…

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

So as you can see, this takes place during the end of the second season of the anime. I wanted it to be here strictly because so I have more time to develop my character, Allen, if I did choose to pursue this. He's still a bit incomplete, but with this much time before the Ancient Dragon arc in Season 4 I'll have lots of time to adjust. Also, Tabitha is my favourite character, and I have so many plans for the struggles between Tabitha and Allen. A more emotionally strained "will they, or won't they?" relationship really.

Season 3 is also where we see most of Louise's inner thoughts regarding Saito as her familiar, and her doubts and fears as her feelings build up. I'm not going to judge Saito for being unaware of her feelings and the conflict itself will add a lot more room for character development.


	2. AUTHOR UPDATE

**June 25, 2015**

 **Alright, so first things first. It's been a while since I last updated, but not because I've been dead, but more because of recent changes in my life. I've received notice from my schooling; I am going to study abroad. I'm really excited to follow my path, and I'm really hoping that my hard work will pay off and bear fruit. As such, I decided to take a few liberties with my fan fiction.**

 **I'm not gonna lie. This is the fourth time that I've decided to write, revamp and restart, and I'm starting to get really annoyed with myself. I actually have all of the fan fiction stories that I have ever written on my backup, all of them unfinished, with the original change my destiny being the one that I took the farthest, one that I still kind of regret restarting. Still, it's one that I am considering following through.**

 **So here is what I'm going to do. I'm going to narrow down my fan fiction writing and focus solely on Mother and Son and the Sound of Change. Unfortunately, Change my Destiny, The Heart of Sacrifice (now a oneshot) and Frozen moon shall go unfinished. I'll reupload the original Change my Destiny with the final chapter being the raw outline that contained all my research and all my plot developments, planned relationships and so on, complete with an ending and reveals of who was supposed to become what. I will also do the same with Frozen Moon, but unfortunately I can't say the same for The Heart of Sacrifice, as I never took it that far.  
**

 **I apologize if this is sudden, and I want to thank all those who enjoyed my work. Take care, and I hope you enjoy my future releases.**

 **~ChaosxPaladin**


	3. New Beginnings

New Beginnings

Everything was white, the blinding brilliance of it piercing Allen's eyes. A shrill noise rang in his ears as he felt the power of the four spirits surge through him, their combined strength sending him across the ether. He felt like he was sailing across the ocean, guided by the waves of the sea as he headed towards his destination.

As the light died down, Allen felt his feet touch solid ground. He crouched down to steady himself, blinking several times to help his vision adjust. He scoffed.

"Of course you would send me to where I died. You guys always had a sick, twisted sense of humor." He didn't expect a reply, but the dull emptiness he felt inside him throbbed none the less. He felt significantly weaker, more vulnerable, without their comforting presences. He was alone once more.

Wait a second... he was where he died? That couldn't be, his Halkeginia didn't have the Ancient Dragon. But where was he, then? Was he in an alternate Halkeginia? He had read of such theories from Sheffield's works, but he never expected them to be real…

" _Alright, that's enough of that. Whatever the case, there should be a town nearby... I'll start my search there."_ Shaking his head, Allen stood up, freeing himself from his thoughts. He exited the forest without hassle, surprised to find the familiar, yet different, surrounding plains of Albion littered with bodies and signs of battle. It looked eerily similar to what he had done with Albion's forces merely minutes before. He once more thought for a split second that he was still in his own realm, before taking note of the significantly less and different species of monsters. There were many more Halkeginian and Albionian soldiers and mages than there were during Allen and Louise's battle to protect the escaping Halkeginian ships.

Allen let out a brisk sigh. Was he in the same time period as well? Was this another battle altogether?

"I need more information…"

Making his way to the village of Westwood, Allen took note of the catastrophe that had ravaged it. Many buildings were damaged, the residents working to restore their broken shelters. A few mercenaries trotted across the streets, trading and pawning supplies for food, but otherwise left the people undisturbed. As Allen continued his travel through the city, he stopped by the southern district, which was in a much better state. He saw many more of the mercenaries here, much to the people's (and personally, his own) dismay. Many of them were disturbing the peace with their loud arguments, the occasional mercenary flirting with the local females. Allen ignored it for now, stopping at a nearby tavern.

The tavern was bustling with activity, and despite the circumstances, it was still quite a feast and the tables were filled with dish after dish of rich foods. He was about to ask the bartender what happened, before something stopped him.

"Hey, watch where you're going, you damned brat!"

The sound of palm meeting flesh reached Allen's ears, and his head snapped to the source. A young brunette, probably no older than twelve, was sprawled on the floor in an undignified manner. Her maid outfit was a clear sign she was a worker here. Towering above her was a mercenary, wearing mismatched pieces of armor on his body. His sword was out, the man backed up by five companions. The other mercenaries in the bar watched with mild disinterest, while Allen tensed as the girl began to cry, ready to jump for help. But before he could, an older woman whom he assumed was a fellow worker, came to the girl's side.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?! You hurt the workers here, you get no service!" The woman retorted, her bright green hair waving slightly as she sneered at the men. For a moment, Allen experienced déjà vu, recognizing the woman, and yet not able to recall her name. Eyeing the woman with a disgusting leer, the group of them closed in on the woman.

"Hey! That's enough," Allen called out, moving between the men and the women.

"Who do you think you are, you little pretty boy? That little brat made me spill my ale, and I'll be damned if I ain't gonna get me some of that fine lass!" The mercenary cracked his knuckles threateningly, but Allen paid no heed to him. Instead, he turned around, kneeling to the girl and the woman, gently lifting them to their feet.

"Go. I'll take care of this."

"G-God bless you," the girl said as she bowed her head, before sprinting off to safety. The woman, however, merely frowned.

"No need for heroics, mister. They may be mercenaries, but there's six of them in total, one of you, and several civilians. Do you think could really take them on without someone getting hurt?" The woman's tone was more curious than scared, much to Allen's surprise. Something about this woman told him she was more than what he could see…

Still, he could worry about it later.

"It will be fine. If anyone gets hurt, I'll pay. Take them all a safe distance," replied Allen, turning to face the group of mercenaries. Allen cracked his knuckles, before taking a stance. Balancing his weight evenly, Allen slid his left foot forward, lifting up his hands, fingered relaxed. He gestured them to come forward with his left. "This'll only take a minute."

"You're a cocky little shit—" The mercenary scoffed, but was cut off as Allen lashed out with a knife chop to his neck. A loud _smack_ , followed by a gurgle, came from the man as Allen thrust his palm into the man's chest, sending him flying into his friends, unconscious. Two of the men fell over from being hit by the body, but the other three were able to dodge; they were not happy.

The spectators shrieked as three of the mercenaries charged forward, ganging up on Allen, chairs, knives and bottles in hand. Dodging poorly coordinated swipes, Allen lashed out his forward foot at one of the thugs' knees, making it bend at an unhealthy angle. As he cried out, Allen took his weapon, a chair, neatly slid it back to its table, and elbowed the burly man across the face, knocking him out. The two that followed him cursed at Allen, rushing forward once more. Crouching low, Allen's hands were a blur as he parried their attacks, disarming them and violently throwing them onto their backs, the wooden floor cracking underneath. He stomped on their chests, taking the wind out of their lungs.

"I'll pay," he called out to the bartender absentmindedly.

The last two thugs from before screamed in anger as they ran forward with their swords. Allen easily weaved around them, palm striking the first to attack in the chin, followed by a low knee thrust to his stomach. As he hunched over, Allen forced him onto his knees, then took his sword and parried the other mercenary's strikes. The mercenary on his knees yelped as his ally's sword came dangerously close. Realizing his disadvantage, the standing mercenary was about to turn and grab one of the girls, but Allen quickly vaulted over his human shield, slapping the flat of his blade into the man's head. He fell over unconscious.

"Y-You bastard! Wait till Jerome hears about this, he'll have your head on a platter," The mercenary on his knees cried out, standing back to his feet. With a fearful gaze he sprinted towards the door, only to run face first into a stone wall. He fell back unconscious, his teeth loose. Allen relaxed his stance and turned, seeing the green haired woman from before with a wand out. Ah, now he remembered.

"That was very kind of you," Allen nodded towards Fouquet, the crumbling dirt. She was once the most feared thief in all of Halkeginia, stealing from nobles of all kinds until one day she disappeared. Was this where she went to in this world? In Allen's world, they fought to the death, though against each other's wills. Allen didn't want to kill her because he never thought of her as evil, just horribly misguided. Fouquet, too, didn't want to kill, as she didn't want to become like the nobles that she stole from, but was blackmailed into servitude. It was an ugly battle, and Allen felt relief that she was alive in this world.

Matilda wordlessly nodded, smiling coyly as she walked towards Allen, swinging her hips in an exaggerated manner; not that he minded. Deciding to think about it later, Allen began scavenging the bodies for money and a better sword. He ended up finding four gold coins and a pouch-worth of silver. He gave it to the owner of the tavern, who thanked him profusely as his fellow male workers dragged the bodies outside and the customers returned to their drinks. Throwing away the sword he took, Allen settled for the first mercenary's Falchion. It was definitely used, perhaps two or so years old, but it was still in very good condition, and a much better size fit to his hand than the rest. Fouquet watched all the while, strangely silent. He faced her again.

"That was some impressive work. What was that? I've never seen hand to hand combat used that effectively before."

"My master called it Karate; it means the empty hand way, if I recall correctly," replied Allen, cracking his neck. Fouquet's smile didn't fade as she began to examine Allen from head to toe. Allen met her gaze with a steady raise of his brow.

"Well, mister, you proved me wrong; you were able to take on those men. I'm impressed, and I'm often not by men like you. What's your name?"

"Allen, and the pleasure is all mine. I'm just glad I was able to help. May I ask your name?" Allen replied, knowing the answer already. Still, he couldn't just announce that he knew who she was. That would draw too much attention. Fouquet smiled.

"Matilda."

After exchanging pleasantries, Allen spent the next hour asking Matilda about the recent events of this Halkeginia. Much to his surprise, everything had gone almost parallel to what had happened in his world; Henrietta, the princess of Tristain, wished to siege Albion after the death of the royal family, one of them, Prince Wales, being her cousin and forbidden lover. However, things went awry after Henrietta's troops suddenly turned on her during the Silver Pentecost festival, in which both Albion and Tristain's forces signed a peace treaty for that holiday.

What interested him the most, though, was the mysterious swordsman who held back the army of 70,000 on his own.

"That's quite a feat. Did anyone get a good look at this swordsman?" Allen asked. Matilda shook her head.

"From what I've heard, the swordsman was as fast as an elf, as deadly as a dragon, and as immovable as a mountain. He took down almost half of the army on his own before they were able to subdue him, though he escaped with a spell of some sort. Many thought him to be a vengeful spirit of the royal family, others an elf. They were so demoralized by the loss that the army's advance was halted for more than two days. But by the time the mysterious swordsman had vanished, the Halkeginian army had already retreated. I find it rubbish, but the damage and scars done are very real, so it can't be a coincidence." Taking a moment to sip her tea, Matilda eyed Allen warily. "Do you believe it to be a spirit or something of the sort? That the army was held back by one person?"

"Honestly? I want to believe it. To think that someone out there is that strong? I would enjoy a battle with that person, indeed," Allen replied. He already knew that the army was held back by the Gandalf, and he meant it when he said he would enjoy a fight with him or her. It would be interesting to test how he fares against his own kind, so to speak. "I'm a travelling warrior, you see. I go about the land challenging the strongest swordsmen and magi, hoping to perfect and refine my techniques. I want to become the strongest I can possibly be, and to do that I need to challenge as many people as I can, experience as many techniques and tricks as possible, in order to reach that."

Matilda hummed at Allen's words, deep in thought before offering her own reply.

"If I may request, would you be willing to offer your expertise? I'm in need of a bodyguard of a sort. My sister and I live on the outskirts of town, and these mercenaries have been a real bother. I can't protect her all the time because I'm here earning money, so I would greatly appreciate your help." The look in her eye changed as Allen thought about her proposal. She was… honest, if he had to choose a word, although it wasn't one that he was willing to bet on. Her Fouquet persona betrayed him more than once in the past, and she was a very dangerous enemy, one of the more dangerous mages that he encountered. But the question remained; what was she doing here, in Albion of all places? Did she not become Fouquet here? So far everything seemed normal about this world's Fouquet. She had a stable job, she had family, and she had a home. She never mentioned having a family when she was working for Osmond in his world, only that she was the last of her clan. Still, her offer wasn't a bad idea, either. It cleared up his need for shelter and gave him a source of income. Plus, he hadn't planned on travelling any time soon, so he could gather information about the timeline of this dimension. This world's Fouquet already offered him this much information, so if he were to request more, this is the least he could do to repay her.

With a smile, Allen nodded his head.

"Alright, I'll do it."

-Mother and Son-

"Our home is just around this path." Gesturing for Allen to follow, Matilda led Allen along a series of winding paths. Allen did his best to make a mental map, but it was rather difficult. Everything looked too similar, the trees being very close to each other. He had to commend those mercenaries who had found them. This was rather hard.

"Unfortunately, to help avoid unwanted visitors, we memorized our way around, so I hope you have a good memory," said Matilda, leading Allen through the forest. It was dusk, so following Matilda wasn't too much of a hassle.

"It's a wonder that you were ever found at all."

Eventually, after several minutes of exchanging simple pleasantries, they reached a humble looking hut. Vegetation covered the roofing somewhat, adding to the blend of natural camouflage. The sun had already set, the lamps within the hut shining brightly as Allen and Matilda walked closer.

"Fine! Enjoy your time with the person who saved your life!"

It was a voice that Allen recognized all too well. Louise burst out of the doors, sprinting off into the night. What the hell was Louise doing here? Matilda, just as confused, decided to go inside to check what happened. Allen followed close behind.

"Oh, Saito! You're back, and with company," cried out Matilda in surprise. Allen, however, was frozen in place.

Siesta. She was alive in this world.

"U-Um… excuse me, is there something on my face?" Siesta asked, confused. She blushed slightly as Allen remained trapped in his stupefied state, blinking a few times. Why is he surprised? She shouldn't be, this was an alternate reality, after all. He shouldn't be…

 _A whirlwind of agony consumed him as he arrived_ _at the_ _village of Tarbes, the once peaceful village razed to an ashen black plain._ _Something inside him snapped, and he lost control, his soul screaming for vengeance._ _There was so much blood. There was so much screaming. There was so much death. But in the end, all that remained was the heavy weight of his failure._

"Allen, are you alright?" Matilda's voice pierced through Allen's thoughts, Allen coughing before excusing himself.

"My apologies, madam. Your beauty was particularly stunning," he replied with a smile. Making a bow, Allen introduced himself. "My name is Allen. What are your names?"

The black haired boy answered first. "My name is Saito. This is Siesta," said Saito, gesturing to the black haired girl Allen knew all too well. He then gestured to the soldier he recognized from Henrietta's Musketeer squadron, "and that's Agnes. The one who just ran out was Louise."

Allen took note of his extremely strange clothes; his pants were made out of a fabric he didn't recognize, but it matched well with his blue and white sweater. On his back was Derflinger, although Allen didn't recognize the sword right away. Was this boy the Gandalf? But the runes aren't on his left hand…

"What happened with Miss Valliere, Saito?" Matilda asked. Saito let out a big sigh, explaining the situation.

"We've come at the request of Queen Henrietta to search for Tiffa," Saito gestured to the girl garbed in green. A wide rimmed, cotton hat sat upon the top of her blonde head. "Since she saved my life, Henrietta wanted to thank her personally, so we came back to get you both. Louise got mad for some reason though. I don't understand her sometimes… and what is it with her obsession with breasts?" Allen couldn't help but snort, although no one seemed to mind. Indeed, Louise was a very jealous person. Judging from the huge melons on Miss Tiffa, she probably thought that Saito was seduced. God knows his Louise made that mistake several times. Matilda let out a soft hum.

"We can sort that out later. Right now, we should probably find Miss Valliere. There have been mercenaries wandering around at this time of night; she might get into trouble." Saito gasped at the mention of the mercenaries, no doubt wanting to bolt straight away. However, Agnes held him back, placing a quick hand on his shoulder.

"Saito, I know you're worried about Miss Valliere, but I think you're the last person she wants to see right now. Siesta and I will go look for her. You, Miss Tiffa, Miss Matilda, and Mister Allen stay here."

"B-But why?!" Saito protested, distraught. Allen decided to step in.

"I'm assuming that you want Miss Siesta's womanly touch, regarding the situation, Miss Agnes?"

"Indeed, and just Agnes is fine. If what Matilda says is true, with mercenaries wandering about, I'll be able to protect them both. Right now, Saito, you're a liability without your runes."

Wait a second… The Gandalf of this world lost his runes? But the only way to remove them is with death! Allen couldn't help but stare with wonder as he noticed that Saito saw the logic in their proposal, obviously not liking it. He clenched his fists and grit his teeth, before sighing. "Alright. Please, keep Louise and Siesta safe." Agnes scoffed at Saito's answer, giving him a wry smile.

"You discredit me, Saito. I've fought more times than you've touched yourself at night. Your friends will be safe with me, I promise."

With a wave of her hand, Agnes left the hut, Siesta blushing heavily as she followed behind, the two leaving Matilda and Allen laughing very hard, Tiffa very confused, and Saito very red.


	4. Family Bonds

Mother and Son Chapter 2 - Family Bonds

After settling down, Allen, Matilda, Tiffa and Saito all took a seat at the round table near the back of the hut, watching Agnes and Siesta take their leave. Tiffa served freshly brewed tea, the worry apparent in Saito's expression. Allen decided to dig for a little more information.

"What was that about some runes, earlier? Were you branded with an enhancement spell of some sort? I thought those were illegal," said Allen. Saito let out a hum of thought, thinking about what to say.

"Well, sort of. A few years ago, I was summoned to be Louise's familiar, the Gandalfr. It was really amazing. Whenever I held a weapon, I instantly knew how to use it, and could wield it with perfect mastery. But for some reason, when I woke up here with Tiffa after my battle with the army of 70,000, the runes were already gone. I don't know why…"

"That's because you died, kiddo."

Allen blinked in surprise as he saw Derflinger withdraw himself from his sheath slightly, taking the time to speak up. It was odd, seeing him do that from another perspective. Allen was so used to turning his own head. Still, Saito's words confirmed what Matilda had said earlier about the battle. He turned to her, eyeing her slyly as she gave him a coy smile. The damned vixen. She knew who the 'mysterious swordsman' was all along.

"W-What are you talking about? I'm alive, aren't I?" This time, Matilda stepped in.

"Tiffania used a magic ring to bring you back to life. Her mother, my step-mother, had given it to her before she died, saying to use it if she found someone in trouble."

Tiffa blushed, not expecting the sudden attention. Allen leaned forward, curious.

"That's some very powerful magic. Most definitely elvish, if I must say. Human magic is nowhere near powerful enough to bring back the dead. Not even void magic can do it."

Tiffania and Matilda tensed as Allen mentioned the magic being elvish. Was he right? Probably. Still, he could understand their concern. Elvish magic was considered heretical by humans. Before he could continue, Derflinger cut him off.

"You seem to speak from experience. In fact, you're taking Saito's announcement about being a familiar pretty well. Most people think that human familiars are strange, and that the void is a lost art these days," analyzed Derflinger. Allen couldn't help but smile. He was just as clever as his own Derflinger.

"Don't worry about it. If anyone is strange, it's me. I'm from Rub Al' Khali."

W-What?! You're from beyond the Sahara Desert?!" Matilda and Derflinger shouted in surprise. Tiffania and Saito, however, were confused. Allen shrugged.

"Yup. I don't see the big deal, to be honest."

"B-But Rub Al' Khali has been cut from outside contact ever since Halkeginians were banished from the holy land! You mean to tell me that you crossed the Sahara desert on your own?!" Matilda went on. Tiffa and Saito exchanged looks, wondering what was happening.

"So? Rub Al Khali and the elves have been in contact for the longest time. All I had to do was ask a few of my elven friends for some transportation, and bam. I came to Halkeginia."

"Y-You're friends with the elves?!" Tiffania added this time. Allen nodded as she let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness… Then you won't mind if… I take off my hat?" Allen eyed her curiously as she took it off. His eyes widened ever so slightly at her ears.

"Hmm. So you are an elf. I had my suspicions with the ring deal, but I suppose it makes sense. But back on topic, no mister… sword, I'm not surprised with Saito being the Gandalfr, or a familiar. We've studied it extensively for the past 3000 years."

That was a lie. Sheffield was the one who studied it, and with her Myoznitnir runes, her research was taken to levels beyond anything thought possible. Her research revolutionized magic in Halkeginia as a whole, as loathe as he was to admit it.

"My name is Derflinger, not mister sword. Since you're so knowledgeable, you probably know who I am, am I right?" Derflinger was acting all smug now, the haughtiness of his tone making Allen laugh.

"Indeed. I know very well who you are, Derflinger the devourer. How is Sasha these days?"

"Hold on, let me think… Sasha rings a bell..."

"Your mother," Allen supplied patiently.

"Oh! She died some thousand years ago."

"Ah, that's a shame. I would have loved to meet the very first Gandalfr. Though, I suppose it makes sense, since Saito here is the next Gandalfr."

"H-Hold on, I'm lost! You knew who the first Gandalfr was?! But you didn't even remember what the Gandalfr was when we first met, Derf!" Saito shouted, looking slightly offended. Allen shrugged.

"6000 years is a pretty long time," Derflinger and Allen said at the same time. They paused, before laughing at the same time as well. Matilda, Saito and Tiffa exchanged confused looks, before shaking their heads and laughing slightly as well. As it died down, Allen couldn't help but look back at the door.

"Hmmm… Louise must have wandered really far. They sure are taking their—" Allen started, but was cut off as he felt a surge of magic. His left shoulder began to throb as magic coursed through him like a wave, making his entire body shiver as he recognized the signature it bore. Allen instinctively clutched his shoulder.

Sheffield was near.

Saito as well, seemed to notice something was amiss. A faint, but distant cry reached the hut, making Saito stand and bolt out the door.

"Louise!"

"Damn idiot, rushing out like that," said Allen. Standing up as well, he turned to Matilda. "Take care of Tiffania. There's a very powerful mage nearby, so no matter what you do, don't leave the hut! We'll lead them away from here, so make sure you protect Tiffa!"

Fearing the worst, Allen bolted out the door, racing after Saito.

-Mother and Son-

It was almost as if time itself had stopped as Louise took in her surroundings. Agnes was leaning forward in a state of weariness, Siesta not far behind. Agnes readied herself, taking a stance with her sword held between her slightly bloody, sweaty palms. However, it was undeniable that fatigue was slowly overcoming her.

Louise did her best not to pant – the last thing she wanted was for Sheffield to realize she was getting tired. With a burst of speed, Agnes expertly dispatched another set of gargoyles, and dodged as Louise herself used another explosion spell. Sparks and smoke flew as steel and explosion met stone. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sheffield watching from the sidelines, smiling in an almost mad and sickening way.

"I'll ask once more; where is the other void mage?" Louise saw Agnes grit her teeth, keeping her silence as she answered.

"We don't know what you're talking about!" Sheffield chuckled in response, the runes on her forehead shining with a dark, foreboding light.

"It's for your own sake that you should speak up, you know. Or would you rather be shred to pieces by my gargoyles?"

Though Sheffield was calm on the outside, deep down she was swirling with anticipation. This morning, a sudden feeling that she couldn't explain appeared. That feeling had brought her here to this place, and what did she find? A void mage.

She was sure of it. This feeling was the link between all the wielders of the void; living proof that their fates are bound together.

Agnes replied with a swing of her sword, destroying more of the abominations. She shuffled backwards, staying close to the young mage and maid as Louise cast two more explosion spells, her worry and panic slowly taking over.

 _Saito... Please help me! You're my familiar, aren't you!?_

"You girls have any bright ideas?" Agnes growled as she eyed her targets. Louise bit her lip.

"I have just one..."

Louise closed her eyes, trusting the magic in her heart, and began to chant.

"My name is Louise Francoise Le Blanc de la Valliere... Pentagon that governs the five powers, open the summon gate before me and my yet to be familiar!"

-Mother and Son-

Allen and Saito ran through the forest, sprinting with all that they had. Saito called out desperately for Louise, hoping for any sign of recognition. They heard explosions, and Saito followed them as best as he could, but to Allen it was meaningless. He could already sense where they were.

Clutching his left shoulder again, Allen peered intently at it when Saito wasn't looking. As they drew closer to Sheffield, the bond he had with his mother, the one thing that he was forced to acknowledge about her burned more intensely. He hated that, but what he hated more was that it worked both ways. If the Sheffield of this world was marked as he was, there would be big trouble.

As Saito called out again and again, a thought came to Allen.

"You're not the Gandalfr anymore. Can you still fight?" Allen asked suddenly. Saito paused his calling, but his running didn't slow down.

"It doesn't matter if I'm not the Gandalfr anymore. Louise is in trouble… I can feel it! She needs my help!"

Allen couldn't help but frown. Saito didn't seem to notice it, though.

"How can you help her if you're dead? Did you ever think about that? You already died once; don't make it permanent this time. The mage we're going to fight against is very strong."

"H-How can you tell?"

"I can sense her power from here, and it's pretty damn strong, so strong that I can't even precisely tell where it is," lied Allen. He wasn't really sure about it, but he had a few guesses as to why she was here. Sheffield in his realm had actively searched for the wielders of the void after bring branded herself. It became her obsession, and cost the lives of many people he cared about. If she really was after Louise, he didn't want what happened to him to happen to Saito.

So the least he could do was draw her away, and introduce himself personally.

"Man, you Rub Al' Khali mages are amazing. You can sense magic power? That's awesome!"

"Well, it's going to be less awesome if they die before we find them!"

Saito was about to comment again, but a bright green flash blinded them. Crying out in surprise, the two swordsmen reactively slid to a stop with their hands above their eyes. As the pain and blindness subsided, Saito gasped in shock as Allen grit his teeth.

The summoning portal had appeared before him.

"W-what the? Is that the summoning portal?" Saito asked. Allen didn't answer, but instead swam with calculations, his mind weighing the options.

"Louise must be trying to summon again... And it looks like her new partner is meant to be Allen," added Derflinger, his voice grave with concern. Allen nodded and Saito frowned.

Saito loved Louise. There was no doubt about that in Derflinger's mind, and while he isn't surprised Saito wasn't chosen again, he found it strange that this mysterious boy was the next candidate for Gandalfr. A boy, probably a mage, claiming to be from Rub al' Khali, of all places? Something wasn't adding up. If he was worthy, then why wasn't he summoned the first time?

Saito on the other hand, was distraught. His heart twisted with a sick hope that Allen would refuse the summoning, knowing deep down that he wanted to be summoned again himself. He believed that he was the one for Louise, both as a lover and as a familiar. He didn't want anyone else to take that away from him. If Allen walked through that portal, Saito felt that he would lose his reason to live.

Allen knew this portal belonged to Louise; the evidence was all there. His first reaction was to think positive. The Gandalfr could be an additional weapon in his quest for power. He would have vast connections thanks to Louise, and with a little negotiating, he could find the locations of the Halkeginia spirits much faster.

But with all power comes a price. Allen knew too well of the dangers of the branding; the danger of the runes twisting his mind to obey his master without question. He had broken it once, but that took considerable time and funds, both of which he did not have. Not only that, he felt that the power would chain him to this realm, which was something he didn't want. He was here strictly for the Ancient Dragon.

And to be honest, that was all he truly cared about.

"Indeed... But to be honest, I have my doubts about it. Being a familiar may cause... Many problems, so to speak, for myself."

"W-what do you mean?" Saito asked, feeling his hopes rise up. "You don't want to become Louise's familiar?"

Allen shook his head. With a gentle push and a smile, Allen urged Saito forward. Saito smiled as well.

"I'll see you on the other side?" Allen asked. Saito chuckled.

"Thank you, Allen. This means a lot to me," said Saito, feeling the uneasiness in his heart subside. He felt selfish, deep down, but he was glad that Allen had at least come to the choice on his own. Despite his feelings, if Allen had wanted to go, he wouldn't have stopped him. Allen nodded.

"Go. I'll follow soon after."

As the portal closed behind Saito, Allen let out a soft breath, calming himself and moving away from where Sheffield was. He sensed her confusion for a brief moment, no doubt from the summoning. Regaining familiars was unheard of as far as he knew. He clenched his fists around the hilt of his longsword, sat down, and drew a sigil on the floor. It was a serpentine dragon, its wings outstretched and its tail swirling downward like a snake in movement. Cutting his hand open, Allen poured his blood onto the sigil and watched it flare a bright red, then disappearing from the ground and reappearing high in the sky.

"Come for me, witch."

-Mother and Son-

"There's something special about you, boy," said Sheffield. She was ecstatic with the result of Louise's summon. Though it we shocking to see the same familiar summoned again, she was glad the Gandalf had returned. The pieces were slowly returning to the board. She was about to comment further, when a bright red symbol appeared in the sky. All words afterward fell upon deaf ears as Sheffield stared at the symbol with awe.

"That insignia… but why are they here?!"

Gritting her teeth, Sheffield took one last look at the Gandalf and his master. She scoffed.

"It seems that I am being summoned. We will have to finish this at a later time. Goodbye, Gandalf," said Sheffield, retreating into the shadows. She disabled her magic holding her gargoyles together, letting the stone warriors fall to ash. She then quickly called her Manta Ray, taking flight.

As she reached the source of the symbol, she saw a figure sitting underneath a tree, a Falchion in hand. She couldn't make out the person's facial features in the shadows, but she could definitely tell the person was male, so she landed with caution.

"Brother, what are you doing here?"

The figure gave out a small chuckle, shaking his head. His voice sounds different from before… Had it truly been that long since they saw each other?

"I'm not your brother, Sheffield, but… I am part of the family.

Stepping out of the shadows, Sheffield blinked with shock as she stared at the boy before her. It was like looking into a mirror, the boy sharing her features on a terrifying scale, making the differences stick out. Though they had the same hair, his was cut short towards his shoulders like she did when she was younger. Though they had the same face, the markings under his eyes had the left streak reach down to the middle of his cheek. Though they had the same eyes, his bore an intense rage, as opposed to her playful stare.

"What's wrong? Speechless?" The boy spoke, giving a savage grin. He began to walk around her in a circle, swinging the sword in his hands lazily. Sheffield's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you? How are you able to use my family's magic?"

The boy quirked an eyebrow mockingly, making her grit her teeth.

"What, the great Myoznitnirn can't figure out a simple matter? Such a shame, I was told that you were the mightiest of the four void familiars," replied the boy. Sheffield flared with anger. "I already told you I'm part of the family."

"Family or not, you dare mock the power of the Myoznitnirn?!"

"Wrong, I dare mock the one who wields it, and poorly I might add. What's your crazy bastard of a master thinking, sending you on this wild goose chase?"

"How dare you speak of—" Sheffield started, but a voice within her mind cut her off.

 _Sheffield, retreat for now._

"W-What? But master Joseph—"

 _There is no need to confront him yet. This is a rather unexpected, but exciting piece to the board… we must take the time to find out why he is here._

The silence stretched on for several minutes, the boy waiting patiently. He eyed her like a hawk, ready to strike at any moment as she contemplated her master's orders. She didn't want to disobey, but at the same time she needed to know who this boy was. She searched her memory of all her brothers and sisters, but recalled none who looked like him.

Reluctantly, she calmed herself.

"It seems my master has plans for you. I will let you go this time, but the next time we meet we will be enemies, and I will find out what you're doing here, family or not."


End file.
